CHAPTER 3

 Shirley 

“Hey, what are you thinking about in a daze” a pitch tone voice jolted me out of my daze. My eyes lit as I hurriedly jumped up with a cautious look on my face. I stared around with uncertainty as I tried to figure out what was going on and why I am here. My eyes landed on the figure in front of me who was looking at me with a worried look, a look of shock morphed on my face as I stared at the figure.

“How…are… you here?” I stammered after a while, with my eyes constricting from time to time.

My heart thumbs heavily as I stared at Aurora with my mind running wildly while trying to figure out what was going on. I knew something was wrong, and I tried hard to remember the events that happened earlier. My heart skipped as my memory came gushing back. 

I remembered it all, I remember Dawson's betrayal, and how he had injected me with something that made me lose consciousness. I had thought that whatever he had injected in me would kill me but it seems that's not the case. I would have believed that he drugged me and brought me here if not for what he said while he was injecting whatever it is that he injected into my body, I could remember clearly that he wanted me dead but finding myself here baffled me. 

“Why can't I be here?” Aurora's questioning words jolted me out of my thoughts.

“You told me to come here so we can patrol the packs border" she added but her words fail to make any waves as I was lost in thoughts.

“Is this afterlife?” I asked with uncertainty, as I stared around seeing the familiar but unfamiliar place. This looks just like the room I lived in before I left the pack with Dawson. “Yes, this must be” I mumbled to myself, and a hint of bitterness flashed on my face as I recounted the previous events. 

“What are you talking about? What afterlife? You still haven't woken up yet? Do you have a bad dream?” Aurora asked.

I took in deep breaths as I tried to calm myself. Different scenarios filled my head as I tried to understand what was going on, and it was now that it hits me. I had been lied to by Dawson, he had made me believe that he wants to kill me but now I realized what his plan was. He wants to trap me in an illusion, he wants me to believe that things was back to normal and all the things that has ever happened to me is nothing but my thoughts. 

I knew without a doubt that I must be in coma, and he wanted to trap me in my dream so I won't be able to wake up. I had thought that he wanted to kill me so he can take over the pack but I was wrong as he only wanted to put me in a comatose state so that he will be able to run the pack in my absence as that was the only way the elders would let him lead the of pack. 

My heart tightened in fear as I had figured out Dawson's plan but I was helpless as there was nothing I could do now, all I needed to do was to break free from the illusion. Although I knew that I was trapped in an illusion I had no way to break free. 

“What are you thinking about? Time is of essence, we would miss the best time to patrol the pack's border, and would have to patrol late at night which isn't what you would want” Aurora said but it fell to my deaf ears.

“What are you dawdling about?” She said as she dragged me out of the room, and it wasn't until we were at the pack's border that she stopped after noticing that I have been unresponsive to her words. 

 “What have you been thinking about all day long?” She asked but I was too lost in thoughts to pay attention to her words. 

My brows furrowed as the scent of vanilla filled my nose, and different thoughts filled my mind. It was not until now that I finally figured out all that was going on, I have been trapped in my own memory as all this had happened before I met Dawson. 

My hatred toward him must have invoked this, as it happened hours before I met him. I regretted my decisions back then as all of this wouldn't have happened if I had rejected him immediately I met him.

“I won't make the same mistake twice, even if this is a dream or an illusion” I murmured with a determined look on my face. 

“What is going on with you? You're making me scared” Aurora's worried voice filled my ears which jolted me out of my thoughts. 

“Nothing, but something interesting is going to happen soon” I replied with a smirk as I glanced toward the direction Dawson is.

“Are you sure? You look okay to me but your words and actions are saying the opposite” she said with her brows furrowed. 

I felt uncomfortable under her gaze, and I hurriedly reply perfunctorily; “I’m alright, it's just that I have a good feeling about today”

“Whatever, I'm glad as long as you're alright. Let's go on our adventure!” she said with excitement. 

A bitter look flashed on my face as I stared at Aurora knowing that she would be found dead after being violated by rogues. It wasn't until I returned to the pack that I heard of her death, she died two months after I left the pack. My eyes were filled with determination as I planned on making things right even though I knew it won't change a thing as this is nothing but an illusion, but I will finally be at peace and I might even be able to break free from this illusion. 

“Let's head in that direction” I said and without waiting for her response, I headed towards the direction where Dawson is, and she trotted behind me. 

 Different thoughts filled my head as I walked, but I pushed it all to the back of my mind as I had decided not to dwell in it. I knew I can't take the same path I took by leaving everything behind to go with Dawson. I don't know what the outcome of my decision will be but I'm ready to face it. 

“Mate!!” Dawson's excited growl jolted me out of my thoughts, a disgusted look flashed on my face as I saw him. Everything that had happened back then replayed before my eyes but this time, u wasn't going to make the same choice as I did back then.

 Anger and hatred filled my heart and without second thoughts, I uttered the words that I believed would change my life; “I Shirley Pearson, rejected you Dawson Ronald, as my mate.” The moment those words left my mouth, I felt relieved but things changed almost immediately as my eyes became foggy. 

My legs shook as a heart wrenching pain assaulted my head and mind. I tried to stabilize my figure but I was unable to, and my leg gave way. I lost my balance and just fell down. I was caught by Aurora who was beside me.

Pain cursed through my body, and I couldn't help but hope that I had been able to break free from the illusion or dream like memory that I was trapped in but

I was unable to confirm anything as I fall into oblivion